Abu Simbel is a small city, which does not even give the impression to be a centre of mass tourism. The streets are dozy, a local café is seen, a police station, but not even the usual and unevoidable souvenir shops. Travelers who come to Abu Simbel, step into the temple complex on a small headland within the Nasser Lake, but not into the so isolated village.
Cruise offers to the port Abu Simbel / Egypt
The temples of Abu Simbel are the southernmost sight of Egypt and are not to be missed on an exploration-holiday through Egypt. The cult site is located 280 kilometres far away from Assuan and caused a sensation in 1964, when the whole construction was displaced on a dramatical mission to its today´s position. Through the creation of the Assuan-embankment dam, the temples almost threatened to perish in the floods of the Nasser Lake. The cult site arised in the reign of Ramses II (1279-1213 B.C) and was finished for his 30th government jubilee. The great temple, which belongs today to the most impressing buildings of the history has been built in honour to the Egyptian gods Amun-Re and Re-Harachte. The smaller temple in the north was dedicated to the goddess Hathor and the wife of Ramses, Nefertari. The temple buildings display in an impressing way the culture and religious ideas of Ramses II. Four huge, 20-metre-high statues of King Ramses II are found above the entrance of the thundering building and show the superiority of the pharaoh. On the temple facade an number of baboon sculptures can be found. They seek the rising sun with raised arms. You get inside the rock through the small entrance. The system reaches over 55 metres into the mountain. First, there is the large pylon hall. The area is cut in three aisles by two pylon rows. The eight pylon statues are almost ten metres high and face the central corridor. They are supposed to represent the pharaoh in the form of the godking Osiris. The reliefs on the other pylon sides represent the sacrificing Ramses with his wife Nefertari and the daughter Bentonat. The ceiling of the central aisle had been docorated with images of vultures. The sidewise arches are decorated with star paintings. But also the sidewalls offer a fantastic view with various reliefs. Especially religious motives are the centres of the images. Some tell about acts of war. Subject is the battle of Kadesh. Afterwards you step into a smaller pylon hall. This is also divided into three parts. Here, the pylons represent the king, together with the gods Amun-Re, Re-Harachte (courage) and Weret-Hekau. The pharaoh had his picture additionally included and thus elevated himself into a god position. After the pylon halls, a cross hall with three entrances follows. The middle one takes you directly to the shrine sanctuary, the core piece of the site. Only the king was allowed entey here. The three huge rock-hewn sculptures of the gods Amun-Re, Ptah, Re-Harachte are united with the stone statue of the pharaoh.
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